Faith And Courage

The Real Sinead O’Connor Exposed

When you hear the name Sinead O’Connor, you probably think back to that infamous performance on “Saturday Night Live.” And while some may remember the Dublin songstress best for tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on national television, any true fan knows that there’s really so much more to the passionate, outspoken artist.

Performing at The Joint Sept. 19, O’Connor returns to Las Vegas to promote her new CD, Theology. A two-disc collection of songs responding to the events and aftermath of 9/11, O’Connor assures skeptics that there’s nothing too controversial on the CD—although she knows some people will be quick to doubt her.

“I’ve developed a bit of a hard shell over the years,” O’Connor said. “I don’t feel I need to be overly cautious (when writing a song about such a sensitive subject), but I’m not stupid either. I’m going to be respectful, but I’m going to be myself.”

Having written or co-written eight tracks on the CD, Theology marks the first album comprised mainly of O’Connor’s own material since her fifth full-length album, 2000’s Faith and Courage. O’Connor will perform a couple of her new tracks at the Hard Rock Hotel, but said most of her concert will be comprised of her classic hits, including the No. 1 single “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

“No matter where I go, audiences just love to sing ‘Nothing Compares 2 U,’” O’Connor said with a laugh. “You literally can’t hear me singing they love singing along so much.”

While some may still hold a grudge against the Irish singer for her actions on “SNL,” for the most part O’Connor said she loves performing in the U.S. because audiences are so nice to her. O’Connor said Americans appreciate her traveling so far to perform, and go out of their way to show their appreciation by showering her with gifts—mainly teddy bears, which she jokingly said she hides from her kids. In reality, the mother of four couldn’t be more proud of her kids and holds them above all her career accolades—including her Grammy and her 1990 MTV Video Music Award, which marked the first time a woman had ever won the Best Video category.

“I just got a letter from my eldest’s head master,” O’Connor boasted. “He said he just adored my son Jake, and that he was a credit to his mother and father. I usually say he’s amazing despite his parents. Even as a child, though, little old ladies used to come up to me and say how sweet Jake was, which is unusual because at that age kids can be a pain.”

O’Connor said she already sees an interest in music in all four of her children—including her youngest, who’s not even a year old yet. And while she tries to remain passive in their interest (“If I try to push it on them, they’ll think it’s uncool,” she explained), really she couldn’t be happier. However, even though she’s passed on that strong “O’Connor DNA” that’s kept her in the business for more than 20 years, O’Connor knows that the music scene has changed since she first entered it, and worries about what it will be like should her kids ever decide to follow in her footsteps.

“I’m very concerned for young artists today,” O’Connor said. “There’s this worship of fame. No one wants to be a singer anymore, everyone just wants to be famous, even if it’s for nothing. And these young kids that go on these reality shows are treated so badly—they’re just made a mockery of. I was flipping through the telly and saw the Irish version of ‘American Idol,’ and one of the judges actually took a contestant’s guitar and smashed it. Kids are so vulnerable, so what if they don’t sing like Mariah (Carey)? You should applaud them just for having the courage to sing.”

Lord knows O’Connor’s had the courage to sing on more than one awkward occasion. And while the singer continues to shock audiences whether or not she intends to (“I would sell my soul to work with Dre,” she told What’s On. “I’m a big N.W.A. fan, and he just has such a sweet smile.”), the shocking truth about Sinead O’Connor is that she’s really just a soft-spoken, sweet individual.

”I’m a granny, really,” O’Connor concluded. “I’m not into pubbing, drinking…I’m actually a very quiet person.”

By Heather Turk

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